“Do, or Do not. There is no try”
Yoda
Star Wars Episode IV The Empire Strikes Back
Contributing Author: Sebastian Miranda
It’s time to welcome challenges, recognizing them as chances to enhance your skills and knowledge. As a hopeful and ambitious professional at the beginning of your career, or as a student on the brink of graduation, adopting a growth mindset is key. It’s about acknowledging that making mistakes are an essential part of learning. To grow, you must strive to overcome hurdles, dare to step beyond your comfort zone, and cultivate your creativity to tackle problems in unconventional ways.
Pitfalls of a Fixed Mindset
Contrast this with a fixed mindset, which treats change as the enemy. This viewpoint holds that failure is unavoidable, and it can breed fear of venturing into the unknown. Such reluctance to explore can hinder your progress and personal development.
Now, imagine you’re part of a team whose project surpasses expectations. With a growth mindset, you’d anticipate the various ways your project could potentially benefit a wide range of users. On the other hand, someone with a fixed mindset might rest on the laurels of initial success, resisting the notion of further enhancements or modifications.
Think about another situation where you experience a setback. With a growth mindset, you’d probe, “How can I pinpoint and fix the errors?” Conversely, a fixed mindset might lean into self-doubt, leading to thoughts of inadequacy and withdrawal.
Choosing Growth Over Comfort
Whether it’s your personal objectives or your future team goals that you’re aiming for, the mindset you embrace can significantly steer the results. It boils down to this: Will you stick with what’s familiar, staying in your comfort zone and confirming what you already know? Or, will you be open to learning and advancement, adopting the growth mindset that can spur you on to achieve greater heights than you ever imagined?
The ball is in your court. Make a choice that elevates you, your future teams, and potentially even your future company. Opt for growth.